Slide tumbler shell plug cylinder lock



Oct. 16, 1956 .1. HAG'EL 2,756,611

SLIDE TUMBLER SHELL PLUG CYLINDER LOCK Filed Aug. 4, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR Oct. 16, 1956 J. HAGEL SLIDE TUMBLER SHELL PLUG CYLINDER LOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 4, 1952 Oct. 16, 1956 J HAGEL 2,766,611

SLIDE TUMBLER SHELL. PLUG CYLINDER LOCK Filed Aug. 4, 1952 4 Shets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR Oct. 16, 1956 HAGEL SLIDE TUMBLER SHELL PLUG CYLINDER LOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 4, 1952 5 fl w United States Patent Mauthe Soc. En Com. Por Acciones, Bnenos Aires,

Argentina, a company of Buenos Aires, Argentina Application August 4, 1952, Serial No. 302,535

Claims. (Cl. 70-364) The present invention relates to the so-called cylinder locks which are really key operated mechanisms capable of being associated with a variety of lock mechanisms properly so called, as by means of a transmission device, such as a tongue projecting from the plug member of the cylinder lock into the lock mechanism proper.

The practically successful cylinder lock heretofore proposed has been of the pin tumbler type and is usually referred to as the Yale lock. While entirely satisfactory from the points of view of ready adaptability for a number of purposes, reliability of operation, security, number of possible key pattern changes, smallness and lightness of the key, nevertheless, in the course of manufacture, it calls for a number of operations some of which require a considerable amount of skill and others of which are troublesome and time consuming.

As is well known, a pin tumbler lock comprises a relatively fixed cylinder in which is rotatably mounted a plug provided with a longitudinal key passage, said plug being prevented from turning in the absence of the key, by the projection from the cylinder into the plug of a plurality of pins which are lifted by the insertion of the key, up to a level permitting rotation of the plug by the key. The pin tumblers are, of course, "of different lengths and with them cooperate the serrations or teeth out to various depths in the key. In order to keep the width of the key and the size of the lock as a whole within reasonable dimensions, the pin tumblers are usually subdivided and each tumbler thus comprises at least two principal parts, one being associated more particularly with the plug and the other with the cylinder, spring means being provided in back of the cylinder pin portion to urge the composite pin tumbler into the plug. Thus the key nee'd raise the tumblers only through the height necessary to bring the of junction of the two ,pin'portions into alin'ement with the interface between "the plug and the cylinder.

lt will'be clear to those skilled in the art from the above brief summary, that in the construction of the known pin tumbler cylinder locks it is necessary, after assembly of blank plug and cylinder, 'to drill into the assembly "radially-a'plural'ity of holes spaced along a generatrix and extending into the key way, to hold the plug in position in the cylinder while the pin tumblers and springs are inserted into the corresponding holes, and afterwards to plug'the ends of the holes lying on the surface of the cylinder. To provide screw plugs for closing up the'outer ends of the holes would make the lock far too expensive, so that the pin tumbler cylinder locks known in commerce must be considered as immutable as regards the pin tumbler combination they contain, when they leave the factory. i

will be seen, therefore, that not only does the makingot a pin tumbler lock 'of the 'Yale type call for a certain amount of skill, but it likewise is time consuming, particularly in the assembly operations. Moreover, "for proper guidance of the pi'npor'tions, it is requisite that the plug be made out of the solid, and this in turn involves machining the key-way, and accurate fitting of the plug in the cylinder, which must also be bored lengthwise to receive the plug.

Designed for use with a particular type of lock mecha nism, another kind of cylinder lock known as the Kromer lock, has also been heretofore proposed, which cylinder lock comprises plate tumblers as the locking elements, said plate tumblers being housed in a hollow plug member having diametrically opposite, relatively Wide, longitudinal slots adapted to be aimed with similar slots in the outer cylinder. The plate tumblers are deeply recessed to define shaped recesses which are symmetrically disposed. The end plate of the cylinder has a key hole, and the key is of the barrel type with sectorial bits extending from diametrically opposite parts of the barrel. In the locked position the plate tumblers extend alternately on opposite sides into the cylinder slots and thus prevent turning of the hollow plug. On insertion of the key, the same must first be turned a little in one direction to retract the tumblers from locking position, and thereupon turning of the key in the opposite direction causes rotation of the hollow plug relatively to the cylinder, whereby, through intermediate instrumentalities, the actual bolt of the lock mechanism proper is freed for manual operation.

For the plate tumbler cylinder lock just described, the key, by the very nature of the case, has to be somewhat bulky, and it would be impossible to secure with such a lock, the advantages of the small flat key as used in the pin tumbler type of lock.

In view of the abovementioned constructional and manufacturing difficulties, the present invention has for ts principal object to provide a novel type of cylinder lock, herein designated as slide tumbler shell plug cylinder lock, or more briefly slide tumbler cylinder lock, so constructed that the principal, and indeed substantially all of the component parts thereof may be made by stamping and/or molding, and that the assembly thereof may be effected by 'a simple additive process, that is to say, by simply bringing .the stampings and moldings together without requiring any additional or subsequent machining or the like operations.

A'further object of the present invention is to provide a novel type of cylinder lock in which the tumblers shall be stampings or pressings in the form of slides, that is to say members having appreciable extension in each of two dimensions defining a plane, as distinguished from pins, whic'h,by comparison have appreciable extension in only one of such pairof directions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cylin der lock having spring urged tumblers housed in a shell constituting the plug member of the lock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cylinder lock of the type described in which the coupling member for coupling the cylinder lock mechanism to a lock mechanism proper :shall be of simple construction and shall consist principally of a stamping.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a slide tumbler cylinder lock in which it shall be essentially possible to alter the relative positions of the slide tumblers and, if required, to substitute replacement or new tumblers for worn or existing ones, by a simple process of disassembly and reassembly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide forum in fcombinati'onwith a controlled lock mechanism, a slide tumbler cylinder lock operable by a flat key, in which said key .shall be insertable in said cylinder lock in either the position corresponding to locked position of the controlled lock mechanism or in the position corresponding to open position of said controlled lock mech 'a'n'ism, and 'shall be wi'thdrawable from said cylinder lock,

upon unidirectional rotation of the plug thereof from the position of insertion to the other of said two positions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a slide tumbler cylinder lock so constructed that at least one of said tumblers may readily be made of hardened steel or the like drill resisting materials, whereby breaking of the lock by cutting away the tumblers shallbe materially prevented. i

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a slide tumbler cylinder lock in which the tumblers may be made, as by pressing, of shaped wire, such as steel wire. 7

A further object of the invention is to provide a slide tumbler cylinder lock in which some of. the tumblers may be inverted with respect to the remainder, entailing the use of a double-bitted flat key, whereby the number of combinations, that is to say, the number of'different possible keys, is greatly increased.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a slide tumbler cylinder lock in which the tumblers may be fitted with rotary rollers to diminish the wear on the key teeth or notches.

Another object of the invention is to provide a slide tumbler cylinder lock in which it shall be possible, as desired, to use either coil or leaf springs as the resilient elements urging said tumblers to locked position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a slide tumbler cylinder lock comprising molded or pressed guide members for the tumblers, and said guide members may be made of non-metallic materials, such as plastics.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly apparent'in the course of the detailed description of the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example certain preferred embodiments of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1a, 1b and 1c are perspective views illustrating slide tumblers suitable for use in the cylinder lock of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a guide member for use with a slide tumbler of the kind shown in Figs. 1a, 1b and 1c.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the guide member of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the guide member shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of an ass'embly'of slide tumbler and guide member together with the spring urging means.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a shell plug as used in the cylinder lock of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view' of a coupling or motion transfer plate for coupling the slide tumbler cylinder lock to a lock mechanism proper.

Fig. 8 is a side view partly in section of a slide tumbler cylinder lock according to the present invention built up of parts as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, said lock being shown in locked position.

Fig. 9 is a view sirniliar to that of Fig. 8 showing the lock in open position on the insertion of the key.

Fig. 10 is a side view of a cylinder lock similar to that of Figs. 8 and 9, but with some of the slide tumblers inverted with respect to the others.

Fig. 11 is a side view of a key suitable for use with the lock of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a section along the line XIIXII of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a cross section of the shell plug of a lock according to the present invention, illustrating a modified form of slide tumbler.

Fig. 14 is a cross section of a cylinder lock according to the present invention, illustrating modified forms of slide tumbler and guide. a

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the modified guide member of Fig. 14. i

Fig. 16 is a cross section of a cylinder lock according to the present invention, illustrating one form of slide tumbler made of wire. i v I from the limit edge.

- 2,766,611 r i r M Fig. 17 is a cross section similar to that of Fig. 16 but illustrating the use of a still further modified form of wire slide tumbler and the employment of leaf spring urging or restoring means.

Fig. 18 is a perspective view of a slide tumbler and guide assembly illustrating a further modification of a leaf spring controlled embodiment. a

Fig. 19 is an elevation partly in section showing another variant of the leaf spring controlled embodiment, and Y a Fig. 20 is a front elevation of a slide tumbler fitted with an anti-friction roller.

Considering first Figs. 1a through 9, I have illustrated in Figs. 1a, 1b and 1c slide tumblers 20a, 20b and 200 suitable for use in a shell plug cylinder lock of the present invention, which represent one embodiment thereof comprising all the essential functional parts of such tumblers.

As here shown, said tumblers are produced, as. by stamping, from strip metal of a'suitable thickness, such as one or two millimeters, to comprise a gate aperture 21a, 21b, 21c, defined by a gate edge 22a, 22b, 22c a limit edge 23a, 23b, 23c and at least one side edge 24a,

24b, 24c extending from the respective gate edge to the corresponding limit edge. Said tumblers likewise comrise a locking portion 25 located on the side of the limit edge remote from the gate edge, and'a tail or guide portion 26 located on the side of the gate edge remote The tumblers are adapted to be guided for sliding movement lengthwise of themselves and to be returned automatically to a normal or locking position in' the assembled lock, as will hereinafter be explained, and to this 'end include at least one guide edge, s'uch asthe edge 27 located adjacent and parallel to the respective side edge 24a, 24b, 24c, and defining a part of the outer contour of the tumbler. 'Each tumbler likewise has a spring seat, shown in the embodiment of Figs. 1a, 1b and 10, as defined by a lower straight edge 28 including 'a spring centering pip'29iofan arm,30 projecting laterally from the bounding edge 31 opposite andparallel to the guide edge 27. Preferably the free ends of the locking portion 25 andthe tail portion 26are rounded or arcuate in the plane of the tumbler and the .free gate edge 22 is rounded transversely ofsaid plane.

As illustrated: in Figs. 1a, 1b and 1c, the gate apertures have been cut irithe central portions of the tumbler plates and are therefore further defined .by an inner'edge32 parallel to the-side edge 24a, 24b, 24c of the respective tumblers, but it is'to be understood that, as will hereinafter appear, said inner'edge 32 may be absent. Comparison. of Figs. 1a, 1b, and 10 will show that the gate apertures 21a, 21b, 21c are provided at differentpositions heightwise or lengthwise ofthe tumblers, so that when the tumblers are arranged in succession with the locking portions and the tail portions respectively in alinement, the gate edges 22a, 22b, 22 will forrn aseries staggered heightwise of the tumblers. The height of; the gate apertures must be at least equal to the maximum width of the key shank which is to be usediwith the lock for which the tumblers are designed.

For guiding the slide tumblers, I provide spacer members 33, one form of which is illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. As there shown said spacer members comprise a substantially cylindrical body portion 34, diametrically recessed on one end face to define a guide wall 35 and perforated in the axial direction to define a key-pass aperture-36 which may be and desirably is, provided with inwardly projecting ward membersBl, which, however may be provided in only some of the spacer members pertaining'to a given lock assembly." With the exception of the presence or absence of ward projections, all of the spacermembers of a'set intended fora givenlock are similar, even'as to the location of the key-passapertures,

which willall be fully alined when the spacer members are arranged in coaxial alined succession. The dimensions of the key-Pass apertures must be such as to allow free passage of the widest and thickest portions of the key shank.

On the same side of the body portion 34 of the spacer member 33 as the guide wall 35, I provide a spring seating. In the embodiment of Figs. 2 to 4, said seating is in the form of a bore 38 extending substantially parallel to the major dimension of the key-pass aperture 36 and made in a projecting ledge portion 39, which may be con sidered as formed by cutting away a part of the body portion opposite said guide wall 35.

The spacer members 33 also comprise upper and lower lugs 40, 41, for securing the spacer members against rotation when assembled in a lock.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the spacer members 33 have on the side thereof remote from the side from which the guide wall 35 extends, a diametrically extending ridge '42 in alinement with and merging into said upper and lower lugs 40 and 41. In this construction, therefore, the depth of the recess defined by the guide wall 35 should be substantially equal to the thickness of a tumbler plus the thickness of the ridge 42, measured axially of said spacer member, just sufficient play axially of the structure being provided in the assembled condition of the parts, so as 'to prevent binding of the tumblers against the faces of the spacer members forming the bottoms of the recesses defined by said guide walls 35. Preferably the width of said recess between said guide wall 35 and said ledge portion 39 is substantially equal to the width of a slide tumbler, so that, as can be seen in Fig. 5, such tumbler may be guided on both sides, so as to prevent tilting thereof transversely of the spacer member 33. Fig. likewise shows a coil spring 43 seated between the bottom of the bore 38 and the seating edge 28 of the tumbler 20, whereby said tumbler is normally urged to a locking position, in which the locking portion 25 thereof extends beyond the lug 40 of the spacer member 33, and the gate edge 22 of said tumbler partially obstructs the key-pass aperture 36 of said spacer member. It may here be noted that although for convenience, the lugs 40 and 41 were referred to hereinabove as upper and lower lugs, when a slide tumbler cylinder lock of the present invention is installed, said lugs may be in any position within a full circular ambit, so that upper lug 40 may actually be in a lower position than lower lug 41; in fact the positions of the lugs may be reversed. This amplitude of choice of position in which the lock may be fitted is rendered possible by the use of resilient means for urging the slide tumblers to locked position, whereby the possible eltec'ts of gravity are counteracted. It is to illustrate this feature that the tumbler and spacer assembly has been shown in Fig. 5 with the tumbler urged upwardly into locking position. As shown in said figure, the assembly calls for insertion of the key with the serrations directed downwardly, since it is the serrations which have to engage the gate edge 22 to retract the tumbler into free position, as will appear more clearly hereinafter.

Turning now to Figs. 6 and 7, I have therein shown the shell plug indicated by the general reference numeral 44, which comprises an end plate 45 having a key hole 46, and a pair of cylindrical segments 47, 48 secured, as by brazing, to the end plate 45 and extending normally therefrom in spaced relation to define upper and lower longitudinal slots 50 and 49 of a width to receive the lugs 40 and 41 of the spacer members 33 and the locking and tail portions 25 and 26 of the slide tumblers 20. Said spaced segments 47 and 48 define between'them a cylindrical chamber 51 of internal diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said spacer members 33.

The free end of the shell plug thus constituted, that is to say the end thereof remote from the end plate 45, is adapted to receive a tongue plate indicated by the general reference character 52 in Fig. 7, said tongue plate being substantially a circular disc having a tongue pin 53 extending from oneface thereof and a pair of diametrically opposite oifs'e't lugs '54, 55 lying beyond the face of said disc remote from said tongue pin '53. Conveniently said 'oflset lugs lie in a plane parallel to but slightly spaced from said disc as clearly seen in Fig. 7 and are formed by a blanking and bending operation from the disc itself so that the overall distance between the free ends of said offset lugs is slightly less than the diameter of said disc. The disc or tongue plate 52is of a size to fit against the free end of the shell plug, and the offset lugs are dimensioned to enter said slots 50 and '49 for the purpose of holding said tongue plate against rotation when the shell plug has been fully assembled with the tumblers and spacer members.

From the foregoing description of the essential component parts, it will be seen that all of them may be easily and cheaply produced and readily assembled. The tumblers may be manufactured by pressing or stamping; the spacer members 33, which are preferable of non metallic material, may be molded; the shell of the plug may be pressed or stamped from sheet material or prepared from tubular material, the slots then being cut by a stamping operation; similarly the end plate 44 may be stamped from sheet material, and the tongue plate may be prepared in a similar manner. The only additional manufacturing steps before assembly would be to 'b'raze or otherwise unite the segments 49, 50 to the end plate 44 and to fix the tongue pin, as by rivetting', to the tongue plate '52, and to provide an end cap, to be more particularly described in connection with Figs. 8 and 9, and if necessary to provide a screw thread, such as the thread 56 (see Fig. 6) over a portion of the outer surface of the shell plug adjacent the free end thereof. The springs 43 may, of course, be produced and cut to size by any of the well known methods.

It will also be readily appreciated that the cylinder lock of the presentinventi'on may readily be assembled by merely sliding into the shell plug 44 unitary assemblies or slide tumbler, spacer member and spring, of'the kind illustrated in Fig. '5. Such assemblies may be grasped between the thumb and a finger of the hand at the lugs 40, 41, thereby at the same time urging the slide tumbler inwardly of the spacer member so as to allow of easy entry, since in the disassembled condition, the outer edge of the arm 30 may, as shown in Fig. 5, extend slightly beyond the edge of the spacer member. Said unitary assemblies are introduced preferably with the tumbler leading, the first spacer member to be introduced being preferably one with wards. When a sufiicient number of such unitary assemblies has been inserted, say for example five such assemblies, the tongue plate 52 is applied with the offset lugs 54, 55 alined with the slots 50, '49, so as to enter said slots, and finally an annular end closure cap, such as the cap 57 (Figs. 9 and I0) 'is applied to the shell to hold the assembled parts together.

For cylinder locks to be used in combination with bolt locks in such circumstances as to render it desirable to be able to change the tumblers, the end closure cap may be removably secured to the shell plug, as by screwing, to which end the shell plug illustrated in Fig. 6 has been shown with a screw threaded portion 56 When, however, the cylinder lock is intended to form part of a combination, such as a padlock, where the tumbler combination will usually not require to be changed or renewed, by reason of the value of the padlock as a whole and the use to which it is to be put, a plain annular end cap may be used and Secured permanently in position as by spinning.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown a slide tumbler cylinder 'lock assembly accordin to the present invention and made upfo'f parts such as illustrated in Figs. 1a through 7, fitted for use, the connection between the tongue pin '53 to a lock mechanism proper having been omitted not being relevant to the present'invention. 'As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the shell plug 44 has been fitted into a cylindrical bore 58 in a relatively stationary member 59, which may be a part of a lock casing, or an outer cylinder or a part of a door or the like, and is recessed at circumferentially spaced points in the example shown at diametrically opposite points, to provide upper and lower grooves 60, 61 of a depth to receive the locking portions 25 and the tail portions 26 of the slide tumblers 20. Fig. 8 shows the assembly in locked positions,'and it will be noted that the locking portions 25 extend into the upper groove 60, thereby preventing turning of the shell cylinder assembly relatively to the fixed member 59. It will also be noted that whereas the keypass slots 36 are all in alinement axially of the assembly, the gate edges 22 are at different heights, so that the slide tumblers can be depressed all together to release the shell plug only if the proper key, having serrations suitably cut, is used. All of the slide tumblers must be depressed simultaneously to release the plug, as it will be apparent that so long as any one of said tumblers projects even though not fully, into the upper groove 60, the shell plug cannot be turned.

Fig. 9 shows the assembly in released position ready for turning after the insertion of the proper key 62, the serrations 63 of which are designed to depress all the slide tumblers .when the key has been fully inserted. It will also be noted that although all of the tumblers have been retracted to lie within the shell plug, the gate edges 22 are at difierent heights. Thus the gate edge 22' of tumbler 20 is appreciably higher than the gate edge 22" of tumbler 29". The latter tumbler is shown as depressed by one of the highest portions of the key 62, and as the tumbler 20" is on the side of tumbler 20 remote from the key hole, said highest portion of the key will have to pass through the gate aperture of tumbler 20' before reaching tumbler 20", thereby depressing tumbler 2t) beyond the final position thereof, whereby said tumbler 20' is caused momentarily to have its tail portion project beyond the shell while'said highest portion of the key is passing through the gate aperture of tumbler 20. Hence in fitting the shell plug to form part of an operative assembly, sufficient clearance must be provided to permit said momentary protrusion of the tail portions, for both the positions of the shell plug corresponding to locked and unlocked positions of the bolt lock proper with which said shell plug is associated. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the arrangement is such that the unlocked position of the bolt lock (not shown) corresponds to a position of the shell plug 180 from the position thereof in which said bolt lock is locked, so that the two grooves 61 and 61 provided to permit the locking portions of the slide tumblers 2b to protrude when the key is withdrawn, serve simultaneously to permit the outward movement of the tail portions. However, it may be desirable or necessary, for instance by reason of the design of the bolt lock with which the slide tumbler cylinder lock of the present invention is to cooperate, for the bolt unlocked position of the plug to be at less than 180 from the bolt locked position thereof, say at 90. In that event, grooves such as the grooves 60 and 61 would have to be provided in the member into which the shell plug is fitted, but spaced apart 90, and, substantially opposite these grooves, supplementary grooves must be provided to permit of the end play of the tail portions. Said supplementary grooves, however, as will hereinbelow appear, need not always be at 180 from the grooves for the locking portions. 1

It will be noted from the foregoing description of the construction and operation of the slide tumbler cylinder lock of the present invention that it requires only the provision of both the grooves 60 and 61 for the locking portions, in order to enable the key to be withdrawn from the shell plug assembly, both in the bolt locked and in the bolt unlocked positions, so that the rotary parts need not be brought back to initial position to enable the key to be withdrawn, as is the case both in the pin tumbler lock and the Kromer lock arrangements. At the same time, if the second groove 61 is not provided, my slide tumbler cylinder lock will act exactly like a pin tumbler lock, as far, as the key operation is concerned, and may therefore be incorporated in such devices as night latches, without entailing any modification in the manner of using such devices. Evidently, such flexibility of adaptation, whereby the cylinder key mechanism may be utilized either for night latches or for devices of the ordinary door lock type, must be considcrcd as a practical advantage of the present invention.

Referring now to Figs. l0, l1 and 12, I have therein illustrated another feature which the construction of the component parts of the slide tumbler cylinder lock of the present invention enables to be obtained. If during the assembly operation hereinabove described, alternate unitary tumbler and spacer assemblies are inserted into the shell plug upside down with respect to the others, the locking portions of such inverted assemblies will project from the shell on the opposite side as compared with the locking portions of the noninverted assemblies, as seen in Fig. 10. Moreover, as a consequence of the inversion of the unitary assemblies, the gate edges will also be inverted for alternate assemblies, so that the key for operating the cylinder lock will have to have serrations on both edges, as indicated in Fig. 11. Obviously, the inversion need not be made with alternate assemblies; any one or more such assemblies may be inverted, thereby alternating the key pattern on both edges, so that a considerable increase in the variety of key patterns, even for a reduced number of tumblers, is rendered possible.

The manner of assembling or rather the results of assembling the unitary assemblies in the way just described can readily be appreciated from Fig. 12.

Since the slide tumblers are made or can be made by stamping or pressing, it will readily be understood that they can be given a variety of shapes, and that the corresponding changes may readily be reflected in the spacer members, since these are adapted to be made by molding. Some of these variants have been illustrated in Figs. 13 to 20. Thus in the embodiment of Fig. 13, the slide tumbler 120, has two lateral arms 130, projecting from opposite sides of said tumbler to providea pair of spring seats 128, 128 for a pair of springs 143, 143 for which also a pair of spring seatings or bores 138, 138' are provided, by replacing that part of the body portion 34 of the spacer member 33 shown in Fig. 4, which defines the full guide wall 35, by a projecting ledge 139 (Fig. 13) similar to the projecting ledge 139. The double springing may be desirable in cases where appreciable strength and great evenness of operation are wanted.

Fig. 14 shows an assembly in which the slide tumbler 220 has been modified by the omission of a side portion, whereby a gate aperture is obtained which is open at one side, and the projecting arm 230 is provided by the remaining part of the locking end of the tumbler. This figure also illustrates a modification of the spacer member, according to which the spring seating 238, instead of being a bore, is a recess open to the circular face of the spacer 233, and defined by a short inner wall 264 and an outer wall 265 provided by an upward extension 266 or" the ledge portion 239, which extension also acts conveniently as a lateral guide for the free edge 267 of the arm 230. By this modification, the spring 243 may more easily be mounted by merely slipping same into said recess 238, and it will be held from sideway displacement by the back of the next spacer member or by the back of the end, plate 45 of the shell plug (see Fig. 6). To this end, the spacer members 233 are preferably formed without a ridge such as the ridge 4 2 of the spacer member illustrated in Fig. 4, as can be appreciated from the perspective view of the modified spacer shown in .Fig. 15. r

Figs. 16 and 17 illustrate two further variants of the slide tumbler which is here shown as made up of wire, which in the embodiment of -Fig. 16 is bent as-shown to simulate the general shape :of the slide tumbler 220 shown in Fig. 14. The wire tumbler 320 of Fig. 16 may therefore be used with spacer members 333 generally similar to the spacer members 233 of Fig. 15., except that, as shown in Fig. 16, the ledge 339 has no upward extension to provide a supplementary guiding wall, but .is undercut as indicated at 368 to provide room for the knee 369 of tumbler 320.

'The tumbler 420 of Fig. 17 is shown as bent to a double crank shape and it will be noted that the lower leg 426 constituting the tail portion is out of alinement with the upper leg 425 constitutingthe locking portion. Hence the grooves 460 and 461 are also out of alineinent.

Fig. 17 likewise illustrates a further feature of the invention namely-the possibility of using leaf springs as the resilient means for urging the tumblers to locking position. As shown an arcuate leaf spring 543 is seated in a bore 538 normal to the end face of the spacer member 533 the ledge portion 539 of which is therefore also modified by being given 'arcuate back or outer edge '570. If desired, a supplementary guide portion 571 may be provided for the upper, or looking portion of the wire tumbler 420.

Fig. 18 illustrates a further manner of utilizing a leaf spring, in combination with a plate type slide tumbler 620, in which the spring seat is provided by the under surface 628 of an offset a-Hn 630 bent normally to the plane of the tumbler in order to engage a bowed leaf .spring 643 the ends of which-are seated on a pair of oppositely inclined surfaces 638, 638 provided by forming 'a substantially V shape slot 672 in the upper portion of the spacer member 633.

Fig. 19 I have shown an embodiment in which an arcuate leaf spring 743 similar to the spring 543 of Fig. 17 is used with a slide tumbler 720 similar to the slide tumbler 620 of Fig. 18, .in combination with a spacer member 733 similar to that of Fig. 18, but modified to provide a suitable anchorage 738 for the relatively fixed end of spring 743.

Finally, in Fig. 20, I have illustrated a further possibility, namely that o'fproviding a roller 825 to replace the gate edge 22, whereby the wear on the serrations of the key is reduced. Said roller may be formed of a short piece of steel wire, the ends of which are housed in lateral recesses 873, 873' cut in the walls 824 and 832 defining the gate aperture 821, adjacent the tail portion 826. Owing to the fact that in the assembled condition of the parts, the slide tumblers are backed and fronted by spacer members, or by the end plate and a spacer member, no particular fittings of the roller other than pushing the same into the lateral recessesis required during assembly.

'While I have hereinabove described my invention with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, I do not intend to be limited thereby, but it is to be understood that I may make all such modifications therein as lie within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A slide tumbler shell plug cylinder lock adapted to be operated by a flat keyincluding a shank having upper and lower edges and tumbler actuating serrations in at least one of said edges, said lock comprising a hollow tubular plug of circular cross-section formed to define upper and lower longitudinal slots, an end plate at one end of said plug, a keyhole in said end plate, an annular closure cap closing the other end of said plug, a tongue plate located between said closure cap and said plug and abutting said other end, said tongue plate having ofiset lugs engaging said longitudinal slots to prevent rotation of said tongue lplate relatively to said plug, a tongue member extending from said tongue plate through said end cap and away from 'saidend plate, a plurality of unitary assemblies :mounted in axial succession in said plug between :said end plate and-said tongue plate, each unitary assembly comprising a substantially circular spacer member having oppositely disposed lugs extending into said longitudinal'slots,'.guide wall means on one face 'of each spacer member, 'each spacer member being perforated to define a key pass aperture alined into said keyhole, ward means projecting into said key pass aperture, :and spring seating "means, a slide tumbler having substantial extent in two dimensions located against each spacer member and including aguide edge engaging said guide wall means, each :slide tumbler being shaped to define a gate aperture and agate edge and to provide spring seat means, a resilient member extending between said spring seating means andsaid spring seat means for urging said tumbler to locking posit-ion, each of said tumblers being of length substantially equal to the outside diameter of said plug and'being arranged therewithin with one end thereof extending into one of said slots and with the other end thereof being in alinement with the other of said slots, the gate edge of at least one of said tumblers being spaced from one of the ends of said tumbler a distance which difiers from the spacings of the gate edges from the respective corresponding ends of others of said tumblers.

2. Slide tumbler shell plug cylinder lock adapted to be operated by a flat key including a shank having upper and lower edges and tumbler actuating serrations in at least one of each edges, said lock comprising a substantially cylindrical hollow tubular plug formed to define a pair of circumferentiallyspaced slots parallel to the axis of the plug, an end-plate-at one'end of said plug, there being akeyhole in said end plate,an annular closure cap closing theother end of said plug, a tongue plate located between said closure cap and said plug and abutting said other end, said tongue plate having offset lug means engaging at least one of said spaced slots, to prevent rotation of said tongueplaterelatively to said plug, a tongue member extending from said tongue plate through said closure cap and away from said end plate, a plurality of unitary assemblies-mounted in axial succession in said plug between said end plate and said tongue plate, each unitary assembly comprising a substantially circular spacer member having outwardly direct-ed lug means extending into at least one of said spaced slots, said spacer member being perforated to define a keypass aperture alined with said keyhole, guide wall means on one face of each spacer member, and spring seating means formed on said one face, a slide tumbler shaped to have an overall substantial extension in two dimensions, located against said one face of each spacer member and including a guide edge engaging said guide wall means, said slide tumbler being shaped to define a gate aperture and a gate edge and to provide spring seat means, a locking portion and a tail portion, each of said tumblers being of overall length substantially equal to the outside diameter of said plug and being arranged therewithin with said locking portion extending into one of said spaced slots, said tail portion alined with the other of said spaced slots and said gate aperture alined with said keyhole, a resilient member extending between said spring seating means and said spring seat means for urging said tumbler to locking position, said key pass apertures andsaid gate apertures each being of a size to allow the widest portion, of the key shank "to pass, the gate edge "of at least one of said tumblers being spaced'from the end of the tail portion thereof a distance which dilfers from the spacings of the gate edges from "the ends of the respective tail portions of others-of said tumblers.

3. A slide tumbler shell plug cylinder lock adapted to be operated by a flat key including 'a shank having upper and lower edges and tumbler actuating serrations in each of said edges, said lock comprising a hollow tubular plug of circular cross-section formed to define a pair of circumferentially spaced slots parallel to the axis of the plug, an end plate at one end of said plug, a key hole in said end plate of a size to pass the whole of the key shank, an annular closure cap closingthe other endof said plug, a tongue plate located between said "closure cap and said plug and abutting said other end, said tongue plate having offset lug means engaging at least one of said spaced slots to prevent rotation of said tongue plate relatively to said plug, a tongue member extending from said tongue plate through said closure cap, a plurality of unitary assemblies mounted in axial succession in said plugbetween said end plate and said tongue plate, each unitary assembly comprising a substantially circular spacer member having outwardly directed lug means extending into at least one of said spaced slots, said spacer member being perforated to define a key pass aperture alined with said key hole, guide wall means on one face of each spacer member, and spring seating means formed on said one face, a slide tumbler shaped to have an overall substantial extension in two dimensions, located against said one face of each spacer member and including a guide edge engaging said guide wall means, said slide tumbler being shaped to define a gate aperture and a gate edge and to provide spring seat means, a locking portion and a tail portion, each of said tumblers being of overall length substantially equal to the outside diameter of said plug and being arranged therewithin with said locking portion extending into one of said spaced slots and said tail portion alined with the other ones of said spaced slots and said gate aperture alined with said key hole, a resilient member extending between each of said spring seating means and the respective spring seat means for urging said tumblers .to locking position, said key pass apertures and said gate apertures each being of a size to allow the widest portion of the key shank to pass, said unitary assemblies forming a first set in whichthe tail portions of said tumblers are alined with oneof said spaced slots and a second set in which the tail portions of said tumblers are alined with the other of said slots,the gate edge of at least one of the tumblers of eachset being spaced from the end of the respective tail portion a distance which differs from the spacings of the gate edges from the ends of the respective tail portions of the other tumblers, whereby each of said edges of the shank portion of the key cooperates 'in retracting the tumblers to unlocked position.

4. A slide tumbler shell plug cylinder lock adapted to be operated by a flat key including a shank having upper and lower edges and tumbler actuating serrations in at least one of said edges, said lock comprising a hollow tubular plug of circular cross-section formed to define at least one pair of circumferentially spaced slots parallel to the axis of the plug, an end plate at one end of said plug, a key hole in said plate, an annular closure cap closing the other end of said plug, a tongue plate located between said closure cap and said plug and abutting said other end, said tongue plate having offset lug members engaging at least one of said slots to prevent rotation of said tongue plate relatively to said plug, a tongue member extending from said tongue plate through said closure cap, a plurality of unitary assemblies mounted in axial succession in said plug between said end plate and said tongue plate, each unitary assembly comprising a substantially circular spacer member having outwardly dirccted lug means extending into at least one of said slots, said spacer member being perforated to define a key pass aperture alined with said key hole, guide wall means on one face of each spacer member, and spring seating means formed on said one face, a slide tumbler shaped to have an overall substantial extension in two dimensions located against'said one face-of each spacer member and including a guide'edge engaging-said guide wall means, said slide tumbler being shaped to define a gate aperture and a gate edge and to provide spring seat means, a locking portion and a tail portion, each of said portions having a free end, each of said tumblers being of overall length substantially equalto the outside,. diam eter of said, plug and being arranged therewithin with said locking portion extending into one of the slots of a pair 'of said slots and the tail portion alined with the other slot of said pair and with said gate aperture alined with said key hole, a resilient member extending between said spring seating means and said spring seat means for urging said tumbler to locking position, said key hole, said key pass apertures and said gate apertures each being of a size to allow the widest. portion of the key shank'to pass therethrough, the gate edge of at least one of said tumblers being spaced from the free end of the respective tail portion thereof a distance which diifers from-the spacings of the gate edges from the free ends of the re spective tail portions of others of said tumblers. 1

5. A slide tumbler shell plug "cylinder lock adapted to be operated by a flat key including a shank having upper and lower edges and tumbler actuating serrations in at least one of said edges, saidlock comprising a hollow tubular plug of circular cross-section formed to define at least one pair of circumferentially spaced slots parallel to the axis of the plug, an end plate atone end of said plug, a key hole in said plate, an annular closure cap closing the other end of said plug, a tongue plate located between said closure cap and said plug and abutting said other end, said tongue plate having oifset lug members engaging at least one of said slots to prevent rotation of said tongue plate relatively to said plug, a tongue member extending from said tongue plate through said closure cap, a plurality of unitary assemblies mounted in axial succession in said plug between said end plate and said tongue plate, each unitary assembly comprising a substantially circular disc like spacer member having outwardly directed lug means extending into at least one of said slots, said spacer member being perforated to define a key pass aperture alined with said key hole, a guide wall projecting from one face of each spacer member on one side of said key pass aperture and extendingparallel to a diameter of said member alined with said lug means, a ledge projecting from said one face ofeach spacer member on the other side of said key. pass aperture and perforated to define a bore extending parallel to said diameter and forming a spring seating, a substantially rectangular tumbler plate located against said one face of a respective spacer member, and including a guide edge engaging said guide wall, said tumbler plate being perforated to define a gate aperture and a gate edge, an arm extending laterally from and coplanar with said tumbler plate said arm having a lower straight edge defining a spring seat, each tumbler having a locking portion including a free end and a tail portion,'and being of overall length substantially equal to the outside diameter of said plug, said tumblers being arranged within said plug with said locking portions extending into one of the slots of a pair of said slots and the tail portions alined with the other slot of said pair and with said gate apertures alined with said key hole, a resilient member extending between each of said spring seatings and said spring seats for urging said tumblers to locking position, said key' hole, said key pass apertures and said gate apertures each being of a size to allow the widest'portion of the key shank to pass therethrough, the gate edge of at least one of said tumblers being spaced from the free end of the respective tail portion thereof a distance which differs from the spacings of the gate edges from the free ends of the respective tail portions of others of said tumblers.

6. A slide tumbler shell plug cylinder lock adapted to be operated by a flat key including a shank having upper and lower edges and tumbler actuating: serrations 13 in at least one of said edges, said lock comprising a hollow tubular plug of circular cross-section formed to define at least one pair of circuniferentially spaced slots parallel to the axis of the plug, an end plate at one end of said plug, a key hole in said plate, an annular closure cap closing the other end of said plug, a tongue plate located between said closure cap and said plug and abutting said other end, said tongue plate having ofiset lug members engaging at least one of said slots to prevent rotation of said tongue plate relatively to said plug, a tongue member extending from said tongue plate through said closure cap, a plurality of unitary assemblies mounted in axial succession in said plug between said end plate and said tongue plate, each unitary assembly comprising a substantially circular disc like spacer member having outwardly directed lug means extending into at least one of said slots, said spacer member being perforated to define a key pass aperture alined with said key hole, guide wall means on one face of said spacer member, spring seating means formed in said spacer member, a slide tumbler of wire bent to have an overall substantial extension in two dimensions and to define a guide edge engaging said guide wall means, a gate aperture, a gate edge, a locking portion, a tail portion and spring seat means,

each of said portions having a free end, each of said tumblers being of overall length substantially equal to the outside diameter of said plug and being arranged therewithin with said locking portion extending into one of the slots of a pair of said slots and the tail portion alined with the other slot of said pair and with said gate aperture alined with said key hole, a resilient member extending between said spring seating means and said spring seat means for urging said tumbler to locking position, said key hole, said key pass apertures and said gate apertures each being of a size to allow the widest portion of the key shank to pass therethrough, the gate edge of at least one of said tumblers being spaced from the free end of the respective tail portion thereof a distance which differs from the spacings of the gate edges from the free ends of the respective tail portions of others of said tumblers.

7. A slide tumbler shell plug cylinder lock according to claim 4 in which said resilient member is a coil spring.

8. A slide tumbler shell plug cylinder lock according to claim 4 in which said resilient member is a leaf spring.

9. A slide tumbler shell plug cylinder lock according to claim 4 in which at least some of said tumblers include lateral oppositely disposed recesses communicating with said gate aperture and a roller member having ends journalled in said recesses, said roller member constituting the gate edge.

10. A slide tumbler shell plug cylinder lock adapted to be operated by a flat key including a shank having upper and lower edges and tumbler actuating serrations in at least one of said edges, said lock comprising an open-ended hollow tubular plug defining at least one longitudinal slot, an end plate having a key hole therein closing one of said open ends and a cap closing the other of said open ends, a plurality of composite units each comprising a guide member, a slidable tumbler and resilient biasing means mounted within the hollow of said tubular plug in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis thereof, said guide member being provided with a key hole and a lug projecting through said slot and holding said guide member non-rotatable in said plug, said tumbler having a laterally projecting arm positioned within the hollow of said tubular plug with the combined width of said tumbler and said arm exceeding the width of said slot to prevent said tumbler from being forced through said slot, said slot extending to the end of said tubular plug closed by said cap whereby said composite units may be mounted within the hollow of said plug by inserting said units through the open end of said plug normally closed by said cap prior to securing said cap in closing position upon the last named open end of said plug.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 99,013 Shepardson Jan. 18, 1870 1,406,573 Mantanfel Feb. 14, 1922 2,042,867 Simon June 2, 1936 2,294,495 Woodruff Sept. 1, 1942 2,358,164 Honger Sept. 12, 1944 

